(Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP). A teacher holds up a handmade sign outside of the capitol in Charleston, W.V., on Monday, March 5, 2018; the eighth day of statewide school closures.

(AP Photo/John Raby). Striking West Virginia teachers line up to enter the state Capitol on Monday, March 5, 2018, in Charleston, W.Va. Teachers are waiting for state lawmakers to agree on a pay raise, and state House and Senate negotiators scheduled a...

(AP Photo/John Raby). Striking West Virginia teachers line up Monday, March 5, 2018, to enter the state Capitol in Charleston, W.Va. Teachers are waiting for state lawmakers to agree on a pay raise, and state House and Senate negotiators scheduled a Mo...

(AP Photo/Tyler Evert). Angie Cook a teacher from Milton W.Va., holds a sign outside the Senate Chambers in the West Virginia Capitol in Charleston, W.Va., Monday, March 5, 2018. Hundreds of teachers from 55 counties are on strike for pay raises and be...

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The Latest on a statewide teachers strike in West Virginia (all times local):

6 p.m.

The president of the largest teacher organization in the state says the nine-day walkout by West Virginia teachers is officially over.

Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, issued a statement Tuesday evening saying local leaders of the organization had been consulted and they agreed "the work action is over and our schools will reopen tomorrow."

Lee said teachers across all 55 West Virginia counties had stood "in solidarity" until they won a 5 percent raise approved by lawmakers. Lee added, "without them, today's agreement would not have happened."

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill earlier Tuesday giving teachers a 5 percent pay raise, on the ninth day of the teacher walkout.

Justice called that an "investment in education" at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

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3:50 p.m.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill to give teachers in the state a raise, ending a statewide teacher walkout that lasted nine days.

Justice spoke at a Tuesday afternoon news conference after the Legislature passed a 5 percent pay raise for teachers and others in a deal to end the walkout that closed schools.

Justice said it's important to stop seeing education as a necessary evil that just needs to be funded and start seeing it as an investment.

West Virginia's teachers have been among the lowest paid in the nation and haven't had a salary increase in four years. Teachers had been on strike since Feb. 22.

___

1:55 p.m.

Some West Virginia counties are reopening schools after the Legislature passed a 5 percent pay raise for teachers and others in a deal to end a statewide walkout that closed schools for nine days.

Union leaders haven't said whether they're calling for an end to the strike, pending a ceremony at the governor's office later Tuesday.

But Kanawha County's school system announced in phone calls to parents that schools would reopen Wednesday. Several other county school systems made similar announcements on Twitter.

It wasn't immediately clear whether all 55 county school systems would reopen. A state Department of Education spokesman didn't return an email message.

Both the House of Delegates and the state Senate unanimous passed the pay raise for teachers, school service personnel and state troopers. Other state workers will have to wait for a budget bill to pass before getting their 5 percent raises promised under the deal.

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1 p.m.

West Virginia's teachers are applauding the unanimous Senate approval of a 5 percent raise in pay for teachers and troopers, in a deal to end a nine-day walkout that closed schools statewide.

Teachers cheered in the Senate gallery after the 34-0 approval. The raise also covers school service personnel.

The House already approved the deal in a vote of 99-0 on Tuesday.

Governor Jim Justice said "I believe in you and I love our kids" to the teachers after the deal was made, and plans a news conference later Tuesday.

West Virginia's teachers are among the lowest paid in the nation and haven't had a salary increase in four years. Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair said they'll need to cut state spending by $20 million to pay for the raises by taking funds from general government services and Medicaid.

Other state workers will have to wait for a budget bill to pass before getting their 5 percent raises promised under the deal.

___

11:50 a.m.

West Virginia's House of Delegates has passed a 5 percent pay raise for striking teachers after a legislative conference committee agreed to the figure.

With teachers cheering from the gallery, the measure passed the House 99-0 Tuesday, providing 5 percent raises for teachers, school service personnel and state troopers. It now awaits action in the state Senate.

The governor, union leaders and the House of Delegates had agreed to the raise last week for teachers, who are among the lowest paid in the nation and haven't had a salary increase in four years. But the Senate refused to go along, approving a 4 percent increase Saturday. The six-member conference committee then agreed to the 5 percent figure Tuesday, and for more than just teachers.

Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair says to pay for the raises, lawmakers will seek to cut state spending by $20 million, taking funds from general government services and Medicaid. Other state workers who also would get 5 percent raises under the deal will have to wait for a budget bill to pass.

Teachers have been on strike since Feb. 22.

___

10:20 a.m.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice says a tentative agreement has been reached to end a nine-day statewide teachers' strike by giving them the 5 percent raises he negotiated to end their walkout.

He said Tuesday that additional budget cuts by his staff will enable all state workers to also get 5 percent raises.

On Twitter, Justice says: "I stood rock solid on the 5% Teacher pay raise and delivered. Not only this, but my staff and I made additional cuts which will give all State employees 5% as well. All the focus should have always been on fairness and getting the kids back in school."

___

6 a.m.

West Virginia legislators plan to meet Tuesday in search of a compromise that could end the strike by West Virginia teachers, now entering its ninth day.

A show of support by thousands of teachers and supporters on Monday didn't immediately sway the lawmakers, who failed to agree on a 5 percent pay raise, forcing another day of cancelled classes for the school system's 277,000 students and 35,000 employees.

The governor, union leaders and the House of Delegates agreed to the 5 percent pay raise for the teachers, who are among the lowest paid in the nation and haven't had a salary increase in four years. The Senate offered only 4 percent.

A conference committee of six House and Senate members met for the second time Monday evening, where Senate Majority Leader Ryan Ferns said his chamber's leadership was offering "a compromise position." He noted it was only preliminary. Details were not disclosed publicly. The committee planned to meet again Tuesday morning.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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